The University of Nothing

This is a school that teaches no subject matter directly. Instead, this university will teach you how to learn, and while learning how to learn, you will indirectly learn something else.

My past 4 years in college, I’ve learned by a process that I will call cram-sorption learning. Information is given to you (for the most part) and it’s up to you to learn it (or cram for it) and spit it back on tests. The reality is, after that test is over, many people forget everything they’ve just learned.

Students and schools today should learn through a process which I will call discovery learning. A process by which no information is given, except for an overall goal or objective. In this model, students will be required to do whatever is necessary to find, learn, and complete the task. Accessible Information has become so huge, widespread, and abundant, that I could learn anything I wanted to if I just knew how to look and if I applied a different way of thinking.

If this is successful, my students of the University of Nothing will be prepared to prepare themselves for any job or new career no matter what the situation.

The typical problem with this approach is that people need to be taught just enough first in order to use what they find, a foundation upon which to construct their own architectural wonder if you will.

All I know is that in high school I had an electronics class, my teacher
gave us some parts, wheels, PIC (programmable integrated circuit)..and
pretty much said, go and build an autonomous fire fighting robot that can
navigate a maze?

I'm the Co-Founder and CEO of Troops, a venture-backed business that is building artificial intelligence for work. I am also the Co-Founder and President of TULA, a private equity backed health and beauty business that has developed the world's first line of probiotic skincare products.

Before that, I was a Co-Founder of Spinback (acquired by Buddy Media in May 2011, then acquired by Salesforce in June 2012).

On the side, I volunteer as a member of National Ski Patrol. In between I occasionally write words (see Forbes), crank tunes, and every now and again, hit up the globe for some traveling.

Twitter

RT @darrenrovell: Tried out for Astros.
Told “Don’t come back.”
Came back anyway.
Given a deal for $15K.
Entering 8th year in league.…2 days ago